"best 4K Professional Camcorder" for events

[Nigel Barker]

Hi Chris,

I last filmed/photographed a wedding just over five years ago. Can't say I miss it much. The work involved for the rewards (particularly video) just isn't worth it as most couples simply aren't prepared to pay what the job is worth.

I sold all my Canon cameras (5DIIs & 5DIIIs) & lenses but slowly have accumulated more. The Sony RX100M6 with 24-200mm FF equivalent lens is a pocket-sized marvel but I mostly use it for photography. I got a used Nikon D810 at a great price & have accumulated a range of lenses for it but after the third holiday I have taken the rucksack full of gear & not used it once I am considering selling it all. The images are potentially gorgeous but frankly I am happy with the convenience of a pocket-sized camera that is with me most of the time that produces far better images than I ever got with 35mm film.

I recently traded in my Sony RX10M4 (amazing 24-600mm FF equivalent zoom but generally the 200mm of the RX100M6 is enough) & bought a used Olympus OM-D E-M1 II at a great price as the new V3 firmware update now makes it a cracking hybrid video/stills camera. It weighs a fraction what the Nikon FF gear does & produces lovely images too. I'll likely trade in the Nikon & get a couple more MFT lenses like the 7-14mm UWA & a Fisheye that no 1" sensor camera has for when I want to "do photography". The IBIS is sensational & AF-C as good as a proper video camcorder so it let's me shoot odd bits of video now. Alternatively I could get a FF Nikon Z7 which is barely bigger than the OM-D & use my Nikon lenses with an adapter.

I'm enjoying my cameras while not having to make money with them. I returned to my old profession after a 30-year break & now have a late flowering career that is both satisfying & intellectually stimulating while also well paid. I was even doing a big exam on my 65th birthday. I'll be working for a few more years yet but reducing my hours a bit before I fully retire.

[Chris Harding]

Funny how you can enjoy something a LOT more when it's not a professional gig!! The market here just got more and more complex with less and less reward ..I'm semi retired now so I get a pension payment based on what extra I earn. It's nice cos I can do just what keeps me busy and still gives me some pleasure time too!!

Because my pleasure time is kayaking I can't take my normal Lumix cameras so I found one of the compact models that are the FT2 series which are both shockproof and waterproof to 10m which is ideal for photos on the water where the camera doesn't mind a dunking now and again or even some underwater footage.

We are headed into Summer here so I can start looking at a bit of snorkelling and underwater footage soon!!

[Pete Cofrancesco]

I filmed a wedding last week and it was very difficult, the amount time, the physical and mental stress. I spent a lot of time selecting the right equipment and planning out my approach but many of the shots I had planned couldn't be done due to time constraints and circumstances out of my control. Ended up running round all day getting getting half baked results. I should be able pull together a decent highlight but the whole process was exhausting and frustrating. If I had limited myself to only the ceremony/reception I would have been better off but I wanted to do something more creative. So yeah another vote for no more weddings.

[David Barnett]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

Sadly what happens is we all suffer from "updateisis" but we are also our worst critics too. We want the best gear and a perfect result in our own eyes while the clients often would be more than happy with an SD copy on DVD and be delighted with the content because that's what they are looking at, content yet we fuss over exposure, contrast and indulge in the art of "pixel peeping" ... It actually totally un-necessary but we all do it because we are videographers and probably tech heads as well. I will guarantee that 99 out of 100 people would never notice a crop from 1080 instead of 4K because, unlike us, they are purely looking at the content and delighting in it.

Worth thinking about before you replace all your cameras with 4K units and put SSD drives in your computers because there WILL be a time when you are going to be looking at 8K gear and the cycle starts again. Like editing, there also comes a time when you have to stop and say "OK, that's good enough"

That's an interesting point. While I don't recall there being a 'Bomb!' low light DV/SD camera, if there was, it would be interesting if someone still show on it & produced good results. The original Sony a7s, released in I think 2013 is an interesting thought. One could still be giving great wedding videos on a 6-7 year old camera & no look to upgrade anytime soon.


To the OP's question, Sony Z90 is a pretty good 4K camera for around $2500. Have you looked into Canon equivalents?

[Chris Harding]

It's the same with mountain climbers! There climb it because it's there and the moment a new improved camera is released we have an uncontrollable desire to upgrade whether we need to or not. I honestly cannot count how many times I have upgraded my cameras. Even at the stage where I'm considering cutting down on gigs and having more free time for myself, when a new version is announced I'm there credit card in hand. Hope you find something that suits you Erick and it streamlines your operation! Good luck!

[Erick Perdomo]

Originally Posted by David Barnett

That's an interesting point. While I don't recall there being a 'Bomb!' low light DV/SD camera, if there was, it would be interesting if someone still show on it & produced good results. The original Sony a7s, released in I think 2013 is an interesting thought. One could still be giving great wedding videos on a 6-7 year old camera & no look to upgrade anytime soon.


To the OP's question, Sony Z90 is a pretty good 4K camera for around $2500. Have you looked into Canon equivalents?

amazing experiences shared in this thread...beyond the cameras...thanks for sharing your personal experiences working as videographers/photographers in your countries. I'm 50 and I do weddings part time so I'm not overwhelmed yet! But running a full time video/photo biz would be exhausting...There are so many new videographers coming into the market for sure-many are gifted for sure (I'm a bit envious! a bit!) and others not so much but they sure know how to talk biz. So much to consider about the biz. Technology changes a lot for sure. I looked at a couple of the suggestions for a camcorder and I was surprised to come across some reviews from actual owner who feel that the 1inch cameras 4k are not vastly superior in low light to something like my reliable XF300. I was expecting a lot more of a jump. But to be honest, I may try to rent a couple of cameras and just test for myself. For now I'm ok with staying with my canon XF cameras. Thanks guys for taking the time to answer and for sharing your experiences...Life is all about experiences...

[Erick Perdomo]

Originally Posted by Chris Harding

It's the same with mountain climbers! There climb it because it's there and the moment a new improved camera is released we have an uncontrollable desire to upgrade whether we need to or not. I honestly cannot count how many times I have upgraded my cameras. Even at the stage where I'm considering cutting down on gigs and having more free time for myself, when a new version is announced I'm there credit card in hand. Hope you find something that suits you Erick and it streamlines your operation! Good luck!

Thanks Chris. I looked at the Panny UX180 and it looks good. Although a few reviewers had an issue with its low light performance and the "substandard" 1080p performance...hmm...that's their opinion but I for sure need SOLID 1080p...better than my XF300 if possible...and better low light...otherwise no point in upgrading...I may see if there is a camera rental here in Toronto so that I can try them out. I will take my time this time! Thanks so much and save your money!
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[Pete Cofrancesco]

Originally Posted by Erick Perdomo

Thanks Chris. I looked at the Panny UX180 and it looks good. Although a few reviewers had an issue with its low light performance and the "substandard" 1080p performance...hmm...that's their opinion but I for sure need SOLID 1080p...better than my XF300 if possible...and better low light...otherwise no point in upgrading...I may see if there is a camera rental here in Toronto so that I can try them out. I will take my time this time! Thanks so much and save your money!
E

In comparison to a 1/3” sensor, a 1” is better in low light about 2 stops. In addition shadows don’t get crushed as much and there is less noise. But the main reason manufacturers went to 1” is they needed a larger sensor to support 4k. Even though the sensor is larger it’s higher resolution so the photo receptors are not much bigger. ie low light gains will be modest.

Usually the people who complain about these 1” camcorder light performance are mirrorless/dslr users. While it’s true these cameras are a big jump up in low light performance they are an entirely different category of camera. So if low light is most important then those types of cameras are better just as long as you’re ok with trading away the many benefits of a camcorder.

[Chris Harding]

I actually have two Panasonic FZ1000 bridge cameras with 1" sensors and they outperform my AC80 in low light by miles! The only issue with most bridge or mirrorless cameras is the limited record time ..my FZ1000's are great at weddings but if I had to use them for concerts I would need to stop and start after each performance as they can only record for 27mins before you have to stop and restart ... It has a 16X zoom but can go from 25 to 1600 using izoom ... quite amazing cameras for under $1K and they shoot 4K video too!!! However you do need to realise that they are NOT camcorders .... I use mine for both stills (20megapixels) and video up to UHD so quite a remarkable camera for the price!!